Obscene: NSA overhaul may require phone carriers to store more data

US President Barack Obama's plan for overhauling the National Security Agency's phone surveillance program could force American telcos to collect and store customer data that they are not currently legally obliged to keep, officials say.

One complication arises from the popularity of flat-rate or unlimited calling plans, which are used by the vast majority of Americans.

While the US Federal Communications Commission requires phone companies to retain records on "toll" or long-distance calls for 18 months, the rule's application is vague for subscribers of unlimited phone plans because they do not get billed for individual calls.Advertisement

That could change if the Obama administration pushes through with a proposal to require carriers – instead of the NSA – to collect and store phone metadata, which includes dialled numbers and call lengths but not the content of conversations. Under the proposal, phone companies would be required to turn over the data to the NSA in response to a court-approved government request.

US officials said the carriers might be forced to create new mechanisms to ensure metadata from flat-rate subscribers could be monitored. They said these issues will require further discussion between the White House, Congress and industry.